Strainer



July 18, 1933. l. J. B. DEMERs STRAINER.

Filed Nov. 24, 1930 Patented `luly 18, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ISAIE J'. B. DEMERS, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO SUPERIOR METAL PROD- UOTS OOHPANY, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE STBAINER Application led November 24, 1930. Serial No. 497,695.

This invention relates to a strainer or filter for milk or other liquids.

It is my object to provide a novel strainer adapted to permit the rapid passage of liquid therethrough and so constructed that cleansin is facilitated.

ore particularly, it is my object to provide inexpensive means for adequately supporting a fragile filter or strainer fabric while permitting a maximum rate of flow through said fabric.

The invention also includes a novel method of constructing the supporting element for the filter fabric whereby the cost of construction is reduced to a minimum consistent with durability and production of a sanitary structure.

As is Well known, considerations of sanitation and facility of cleansing are of prime importance in equipment for the treatment of milk and numerous other liquids. My device is rendered unusually sanitary by the elimination of all small recesses and inaccessible surfaces where contaminating matter may lodge.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 'is a centralvertical section through my improved strainer; Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section showing in detail a part of the bottom of the strainer; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the bottom of the support for the filter fabric; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a side view of the spring detent for the filter fabric; Fig.

6 is a fragmentary plan view showing a num- -ber of the connections between the supporting rods and filler ring; Fig. 7 is an enlar ed section through one of the rods and showing the adjacent portion of the filler ring and gig. 78 is a section taken on the line 8-8 of llgL'fy device has a casing 10 of sheet metal to receive the milk or other liquid at the top and to direct it to a large, circular opening 11 in its bottom. Adjacent to the opening 11 the casing is formed with an annular flange 12. An outer ring 13 fits snugly about the bottom of the casing and has a flange 14 extending in spaced, parallel relation to the flange 12.

Between the flanges 12 and 14 is placed a filler ring 15 having a slotted inner eriphery to receive a multiplicity of small) rods 16. These rods are secured to the ring and form a grid for supporting a filter fabric 17 which is held in place by a foraminous.-i guard disk 18. The margin of the fabric 17 is held between the flange 12 and the peripheral portion of the guard 18, the central portion of said guard being offset upward to allow the free passage of the liquid to the entire top ou surface of the fabric 17. To hold the guard ring 18 in place, I provide an arcuate spring 19 adapted to be sprung into place beneath a bead 20 formed in the casing 10. The ends 21 of the spring 19 are bent upward in spaced, 65 parallel relation to each other to facilitate insertion and removal of the spring. A small knob 22 is fixed centrally on the guard 18 to be manipulated in removing and replacing.

The rods 16 are greater in thickness than the ring 15, as clearly indicated in Figs. 2, 7 and 8. In constructing the strainer, the ring 15 is formed with a slotted inner periphery, the slots being of greater Width than the thickness of the ring and the rods 16 are severally cut so that they may be dropped into place with their ends fitting loosely in the slots in the ring 15. The assembly, consisting of the ring 15 with the rods 16 in place, is supported in a suitable press having a die adapted to expand the ends of the rods 16 laterally in the slots while reducing the thickness of the rods to conform to the thickness of the ring 15. When the press is operated the ends of the rods are reduced in thickness from the size indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8 while they are forcibly .expanded laterally to securely fasten them to the ring. All of the rods may thus be secured in one operation of the die. The complete rod assembly is then placed on the bottom surface of the flange 12 and the ring 13 is forcibly pressed in place with its flange 14 gripping the ring 15. It will be noted that the spaces between the flanges 12 and 14 and ends of the rods are completely filled by the ring 15 so that there are no inaccessible recesses between rods where contaminating material may lodge.

Loosely felted cotton or paper fibres are usuall employed in the filtering fabrics and such abrics have insuiiicient strength to be self-supporting'in the strainer. By providing the support for the strainer or filter fabric 5 consisting of properly spaced, parallel rods 16, a maximum of the surface of said fabric (consistent with adequate support of the fabric) is left free for the passage of llquid. The

guard 18 prevents breakage of the fabric 17 or channeling of the fibres in case theliquid is forcibly delivered into the empty strainer.

When the device is to be cleansed., the ends 21 of the spring 19 are merely pressed toward each other to contract the sprlng sufficiently to permit it to pass the bead 2O and after the removal of the spring the guard 18 and strainer fabric 17 may be removed. All exposed surfaces of the rods 16 may be readily cleansed because there is no obstruction in the surfaces between rods to prevent the ready use of a brush or other cleansing tool. openings in the guard 18 are sufliciently large to permit cleansing and the entire strainer may be immersed for sterilization.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A strainer having in combination a casing for liquid formed with a circular outlet passage, a ring having a central opening in registry with said passage, a multiplicity of spaced, parallel and cylindrical rodsforming a grid across said opening, said rods extending in the plane of said ring and being at 35 least equal in thickness to the thickness of The inner fiange, a single, integral member filling 1 the space between said anges, a multiplicity of spaced parallel members having their ends secured to said filling member, a strainer fabric supported on the upper surface of said inner flange and on said spaced, parallel members and means coacting with the upper surface of said inner flange for gripping the periphery of said fabric.

3. A milk strainer comprising, a casing having an opening for the passage of liquid and an integral flange adjacent to said opening, an outer flange'disposed in spaced, parallel relation to said inner fiange, a single integral frame member completely filling the space between said flanges, a multiplicity of spaced, parallel rods having their ends secured to said frame member, a strainer fabric removably supported on said rods and on the upper surface of said inner flange, said rods having openings between them extending continuously and unobstructed for cleaning from side to side of said frame member.

ISAIE J. B. DEMERS.

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